Monday 18 January 2021

Total ends American Petroleum Institute membership ‘due to difference in opinion regarding climate’

Total ends American Petroleum Institute membership ‘due to difference in opinion regarding climate’

Total has announced it will not renew its membership in the American Petroleum Institute (API) due to a conflict of opinion regarding climate issues.

The company said the decision follows an analysis of API’s views on a range of topics, which it found were only ‘partially aligned’ with those of the energy giant.

The firm mentioned the API has recently supported US politicians who argued against the United States’ participation in the Paris Agreement.

Total also added it has different views over the regulation of methane emissions, subsidies for electric vehicles and carbon pricing principles.

Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Total, said: “The Group acknowledges the API's considerable contribution, for over a century, to the development of our industry.

“Nevertheless, as part of our ‘Climate Ambition’ made public in May 2020, we are committed to ensuring, in a transparent manner, that the industry associations of which we are a member adopt positions and messages that are aligned with those of the Group in the fight against climate change.”

In a statement, API said: “We believe that the world’s energy and environmental challenges are large enough that many different approaches are necessary to solve them and we benefit from a diversity of views.

“As a member-driven organisation, we don’t support subsidising energy because it distorts the market and ultimately proves harmful to consumers. Our focus continues to be on taking meaningful action and shaping policy to reduce emissions and ensure access to affordable, reliable energy.”

Written by

Bruna Pinhoni

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